Let’s get real. Ever wondered what kind of impression your apartment has on your friends, possible girlfriend, or other people in your life? Did you know your space and the state of your kitchen could be trash talking you without your knowledge?
Want your place to say good things about you the next time you have friends or family over? Here are the best ways to dress up your apartment, all of which can be done in the space of one afternoon.
1. First things first: Look at your bathroom.
Serious about keeping a girl around for longer than a hookup? Pay your bathroom the attention it deserves. A stylish bathroom does not mean you must fork out the big bucks for a renovation. In fact, there is a lot you can do simply by enforcing some order and figuring out a color scheme.
Are your towels all over the place and you use the bathroom as a catchall for cleaning items you don’t know where else to store? Shell out some money for color-coordinated containers or baskets that you can use to hide that stuff away in plain sight.
Put a focal point in your bathroom. Hang a picture or an eye-catching mirror on the wall. This will draw eyes away from cracks and corners and other things you don’t want curious eyes resting on for too long. A movie poster taped to the wall gets a big thumbs-down. But put that same movie poster in a frame, and you have yourself a winner.
2. Invest in a bookshelf.
Why buy a bookshelf when books can be stacked up against the walls? They also make handy side tables when stacked up next to your gaming chair…
A bookshelf might seem like a frivolous purchase to you, but to those who come visiting, it says that you care enough to keep those books off the floor. Your lady friends will be much more inclined to stick around in an apartment that has books on the shelves versus books on the floor. Plus, they make for some great conversation starters, if you choose the right ones. Not to mention, books bring with it an atmosphere of intelligence.
Additionally, if you have no living room decoration, a bookshelf can fill empty space well.
3. Scents are important.
They might not come out and say it to your face. But if your apartment has a bad odor from unwashed laundry or cleanings that are too few and spaced out too far, you’ll not have many repeat visitors. If that’s your master plan, then kudos to you. But if you do want your place to be a regular hangout spot, then you need to pay attention to smells.
Air out your apartment. Put your cleaning supplies to good use. Empty the trash throughout your apartment.
Pro tip: Purchase some candles that can be lit right before visitors come over. Trust us, parfum de molding laundry does more damage to a guy’s presence than a candle that hints at leather and tobacco. Yup, masculine candles are a thing.
4. Pick up the right couch throw.
You have an awesome leather couch that takes center stage in your living room. In fact, it was the only piece of furniture in your bachelor’s pad before you set up your TV. But it still needs a finishing touch.
Decorating and pulling together a classic look is about the details. So if you are going for an all-out vintage vibe, the item that will anchor your leather couch is a fur or cashmere throw draped casually across the top or side. A throw turns a house into a home. It will show your mom that you’re serious about living here. And your girlfriend that you’re open to snuggling. Besides, throws make a lot more sense than decorative cushions that end up being kicked to the floor anyway.
5. Place a basket of fruit on the kitchen counter.
We all like our shades of blacks and greys… but chances are high that you have no other color going on in your pad. Head to the supermarket and pick up some of your favorite fruit. Place it in a basket for your kitchen counter. And bang! You have a splash of color in your apartment. It’s perfect for convincing visiting family that you eat healthily. Plus, fruit is better for you than chips and it is likely time you started acting on that truth.
